Teresa of the Faint Smile, Adventures of a Stringy Bosmer Options

[liliandra nadiar]

Well, T&T are certainly moving through the mutinous crew. Hmm.. if Ancondil joins in on the next run does that mean we can say AT&T has more coverage in Tamriel then the competition? *hides from retaliation strikes*

Teresa's getting good at on the fly potioning. My own games never really use dispel potions because of the buff-striping. (No, not Buffy-striping, though there's enough water for that) Since silence doesn't effect enchantments, it's usually enough to let the curse run it's course and go Princess Stabitty-Stab until then.

I honestly can say that Teresa pulling a wineskin out was not expected right up until she she did, then it was a 'of course' moment.

Nits
Tadrose tried to push the creature off of her, but her hands simply passed through the body of the wraith, is if it was made of thin air.

Pretty sure you wanted 'as' there. Only error I noticed.

[McBadgere]

So you have done the Miss Wet Tunic contest more then once?

...

Well, I haven't always been this paragon of Gentlemanly virtue you see before you... ...

Oh, wait... ...

Aaaamywho...

Excellent write...Really felt like I was on the shoreline with them...Loved it...

They do indeed, make a good team...

Nice one!... ...

[Olen]

Excellent mixture of fight scene and interaction there. Tadrose has very much taken charge now they're fighting, it speaks for her experiance and Teresa's good sense that they have a clear organisation when needed. They managed a bit more chemistry too I think, there was some definite adoration at a couple of points there.

I liked the expaination of how potions worked too. Another bit of TF lore.

I'm glad Stratonic works. I had to look up Sacred Band of Thebes (or Alinor), must say I sort of wonder if it would work in reality...

Nit (sort of): you had a series of paragraphs all starting with 'Teresa' from "Teresa was ready to loose..." to "Teresa rose..."

[King Coin]

Aravi doesn’t rely on potions as much as Teresa does, but she had a good recipe for one that gave her frost shield and shield at the same time. That one was her favorite even though she couldn’t make it very often.

I liked the explanation on potions and poisons: A spell in a bottle! How else would any of that work anyways?

Yikes! I thought Tadrose was going to get a concussion! At least I think Teresa could have healed that, but then the rest of the ghosts would have to wait for another day while they rest.

[SubRosa]

Acadian: It was a lot of fun to write T&T in action together for the first time. Ecto goo and all. At least they did not get slimed!

A bottle of Tamika's is one of Teresa's necessaries whenever she travels, or goes dungeon diving. You never know when you will need a good strong glass of wine.


Grits: Teresa's imaginary boyfriend will be put to bed by the end of this chapter. Just a few more episodes now. Tadrose seeing Teresa's transformation into Bear was a little thing I included to show the growing closeness between the two. Of course it is also shortly after Teresa telling Tadrose about her spirituality, and her spirit guides as well. That is not something Teresa is usually very forthcoming with yet.


liliandra nadiar: Oww! You should write some of Vincent's jokes, they are all like that!

I usually do not bother with dispel magic in the game, becuase it is so nerfed. It only works against spells, not magic items or creature powers. When someone silences you in the game, it is always one of the latter two. So all you do is remove whatever buffs you have. Thankfully Teresa lives in a world where that mistake has been fixed.


McBadgere: More of that good teamwork coming up next.


Olen: As you noted, the shipwreck and the undead are really not a distraction, at least not for me and my plotting (Teresa would disagree of course). Just as the earlier scenes with the two talking and sharing confidences, these scenes are also a bonding experience, just in a different manner.

The Sacred Band worked pretty good IRL. Along with a brilliant leader like Epaminondas, they broke the Spartan Hegemony and made Thebes the greatest power in Greece. Until Al and his big daddy P came along and slaughtered them all. To a lesser extent lovers fighting side by side worked very well for the Spartans, and Alexander and Hephaestion for that matter


King Coin: I do not rely on potions very much in the game either. Usually only restore health and restore magicka, and sometimes shield. Although I will whip up special potions on the fly if I know I am going to need something specific, like a resist frost if I know there are dark welkynd stones in the next room spitting out frost, etc...


Previously on Teresa of the Faint Smile: Out last episode saw T&T armor up and make up a slew of potions to help in their assault upon the undead. Waiting for the tide to go out, they ventured back to the ship and began working their way through the wraiths as a well oiled machine. When Teresa healed Tadrose from a Wraith's frost attack, Tadrose even saw her transform into Bear. Next, the pair venture into the hold of the ship, for the final showdown with the undead and their master.


Chapter 41.9 – Nothing is Trivial

After Teresa drank another round of potions, the armorer led the way down the wooden stair and into the hold. The open chamber was strewn with barrels and crates. Many had broken open to reveal smashed crockery within bearing a distinctive rust color. Teresa recognized it as the same redware from Morrowind that she carried in her Thieves Bag.

Splintered boards and other debris were everywhere. Crabs scuttled to and fro, grabbing for dead fish that had been trapped by the receding tide. The side of the vessel that faced the cliff was a ruin. Rent open with huge gashes, in some places rocks even protruded into the hold. Teresa drew her night eye goggles down over her eyes to better see in the gloom, and Tadrose drank a potion for the same effect.

The pair moved slowly in the tight maze, making their way first to the rear of the ship. They found the bodies of the crew scattered here and there, all drowned as Grantham had been. They also found more wraiths as well.

The first sprang from ambush behind a crate. It would have split Tadrose in two if Teresa had not returned the dark elf's earlier favor, and grabbed hold of her gorget and pulled her back out of the way. The Dunmer replied by reversing her grip on her longsword, and sweeping it overhead like a hammer. The wraith lifted its axe with one hand on the haft, and the other at the head, to block her attack. Tadrose hooked Anganar's crossbar around the handle of the wraith's axe, and yanked down sharply. The axe was torn from the wraith's grip, and fell to the deck between them. The disarmed monster recoiled, and Teresa stepped up beside the dark elf. Loosing a poisoned arrow, she sent it lurching back in a wreath of flames. Tadrose followed and reversed her hold on her sword. A moment later she buried its point in the wraith's heart.

The remainder of the wraiths fell in similar fashion as they cleared the aft, and then turned back to move through the forward holds. When they finally came to what they assumed was the final hold, the elves paused to refresh their potions. Teresa drew a magicka gem from her Thieves Bag and moved to use it on Ravenfeeder. But Tadrose stopped her with one hand.

"Wait," the vice-commander said. "Save those for emergencies. I can recharge your bow."

Teresa stared in amazement as the Dunmer took Ravenfeeder in her hands. Tadrose closed her eyes, and a purple glow rose from her hands. The light traveled down into the bow, seeming to drain from the elf like water. Tadrose stood there channeling her energy into Ravenfeeder for long moments. Then finally the light died from her hands, and she opened her eyes.

"Here." Tadrose handed the golden-hued Valenwood bow back to Teresa. "That will replace the magicka Ravenfeeder spent against those wraiths."

The armorer did the same for Anganar next. When she was finished, she guzzled down a potion to restore her magicka.

"That requires a great deal of energy," she explained.

"I didn't know you could recharge magic weapons," Teresa said. "How do you do it?"

"It is simply a matter of transferring your magicka into the item," Tadrose said. "It takes some skill with mysticism to get it right though. Otherwise your energy just ends up pouring away for naught. I can teach you later, if you like."

"I would very much!" Teresa said. That would probably save her a fortune in magicka gems. Although granted, Henantier had promised to recharge Ravenfeeder for her whenever she wanted, at no charge.

Then they were back to the work of clearing the ship. Tadrose went in first once more. Teresa followed close behind. Her bow was ready with a poisoned missile, held pointed at the deck so she did not shoot the Dunmer in the back by accident.

Within they found what had to be Kalthar. Unlike the others, his flesh still stood of its own accord. But his skin had turned bone white, and was already rotting off in many places. It appeared as if he had been dead for weeks rather than hours. Teresa saw small things wiggling within his chest, and realized that they were maggots when one fell out and crawled across the deck.

The Nord's head was encased in a full helmet that appeared to be made from some sort of brown metal. Teresa would have wanted to say it was bronze, but it lacked the fiery luster of that alloy. This was drab and dull, like dirt or cacat. It was shaped like the skull of some strange beast, with its jaws yawning open to reveal Kalthar's face underneath. The mage's skin drooped and sagged, like water-logged cloth. His eye-sockets were empty, and glowed with a deep crimson light. Around his neck hung a simple rawhide cord, supporting a disc of what looked like wood, except that it gleamed as brightly as polished marble.

Screenshot

"Lich!" Tadrose hissed, and Teresa felt a shiver crawl along the nape of her neck. Of all the undead, Teresa knew of nothing more deadly. Save perhaps the infamous King of Worms Mannimarco himself.

The lich mumbled something incomprehensible in a deep, inhuman voice. His body rose from the deck, and floated in mid-air before the two elves. Gesturing forward with his staff, a bolt of green energy swirled through the space between them. It struck Tadrose before she could dodge aside, and she fell to the deck a moment later, body motionless.

It was a paralysis effect, Teresa thought as she aimed Ravenfeeder and loosed. Her arrow drove into the center of the monster's chest, and he was pushed back by the force of the blow. Flames burst around him, and a sound issued from his rotting throat that made Teresa's teeth ache. She dove forward, and hooked one hand around Tadrose's armpit. Mustering up all the strength in her body, she dragged the motionless woman back to the entrance of the room.

It was just in time to get her out of the way of the skeleton that took shape in the center of the room. It held a bronze longsword of Dwemer make in both hands, and stepped forward. Still kneeling, Teresa nocked an arrow and loosed. The elven swallowtail buried itself into the creature's breastbone, and sent it staggering back.

She needed to get a dispel potion into Tadrose, and fast. Reaching down into one of her belt pouches, she pulled forth a bottle with an image of two diagonal crescents linked around one another, with bubbles filling the space within them. The skeleton rattled closer, sword raised for a killing blow. Teresa knew there would be no time to get the potion to the dark elf's lips.

She dropped her bow and drew forth a mithril dagger. She met the two-handed sword of the skeleton with its blade, and deftly turned it aside. Dropping the potion, she reached out with her free hand and grabbed hold of the monster's shin. Yanking it back, the skeleton fell to the deck in a clatter of bones.

Teresa scrambled for the bottle, and scuttled back to Tadrose. The dark elf's eyes stared into space, as motionless as the rest of her body. Teresa pulled the cork from her potion bottle and upended it over her mouth.

The room filled with dazzling light, and Teresa felt her hair stand on end as lightning slammed into her back. She was thrown to the deck as pain tore through her body. She knew that Aldariel had a shock shield enchantment, and wondered how much worse it would have been if she had been unprotected?

The sound of bones rattling came to her ears. A cold, bony hand clamped down on her ankle and pulled her away. She reached for her bow, but it lay on the floor just out of reach, along with her dagger. She tried to dig her fingers into the deck, so that she could pull back against the skeleton's grip. But she found no purchase on the slick planks.

"Get your fetching hands off her!" Tadrose's voice rang in the hold. A roar of flame filled the wood elf's ears, along with a loud chunk! Teresa turned back to the see the dark elf leaning over her feet. Her sword was down on the deck, having completely severed the arm which the skeleton had been clutching her with.

Behind the Dunmer loomed Kalthar however. As Teresa watched in horror, the lich raised a hand and gestured toward the dark elf. Lightning sprang from his fingertips, and flashed out at Tadrose. But its forks did not bury themselves in her flesh. Instead they washed across the transparent form of Grantham, who now stood between Kalthar and the two women.

"I killed you once dog," the captain winced under the assault. "I'll see it done again."

Tadrose took advantage of the respite to follow up her assault upon the prone skeleton, severing its head with a quick swipe. At the same time Teresa reached into another belt pouch, and drew froth a small scroll. Ripping off the silken cord that tied it shut, she shook the parchment open and read the single word that was printed upon it.

"Salamander!"

A serpent of fire sprouted to life in the air before Teresa. With a flick of its powerful tail, it swam through the air toward the lich. Effortlessly snaking its way around both Tadrose and Grantham, it hurtled down upon Kalthar with flaming jaws opened wide. The lich lifted his staff in self defense, and the salamander's teeth clamped down hard upon it. Shaking its head like a dog with a ragdoll, the salamander snapped the staff in two.

Yet a moment later a purple glow erupted from the lich's hand, and ground down into the blazing form of the salamander. With a dazzle of bright sparks, the summoned Aedra dissolved into nothingness before Teresa's eyes.

Damn! she silently cursed. He could dispel magic as well!

But that had given Tadrose all the time she needed to cross the room with Anganar in hand. Her flaming blade roared, and a moment later one of Kalthar's hands fell onto the deck. Her hilt jabbed up into the lich's face, staggering him back. Passing her left foot over the right, she stepped forward and swung her sword around with one hand clutched halfway down the blade. Now it cut through the monster's body in a diagonal, slicing his flesh open from shoulder to opposite hip.

Maggots and rotting intestines spilled out on the deck as Tadrose pushed forward still. Following her previous motion, she stabbed forward and buried Anganar's point into Kalthar's face. Fire erupted like a bursting volcano, and the necromancer's decrepit body fell motionless to the deck. Tadrose reached down into the flames with one hand, and heedless of the blaze, pulled the helm from the lich's head.

A deep sigh fell from Grantham's transparent lips, as if he had finally found rest after some great labor. His head leaned back, and he stretched out his arms to either side. As Teresa stared, a brilliant point of light formed in his breast. The soft glow that suffused his body fled into that bright spot, drawing his transparent flesh with it. In just a moment all that remained of the Breton was that brilliant star glowing in the hold. Then it burst in an explosion of light, forcing both Teresa and Tadrose to cover their eyes from the glare.

The wood elf rose to her feet and blinked the spots from her eyes. Her heart raced like lightning, and she felt her limbs tremble with the familiar excitement of post-battle euphoria. Doing her best to calm her nerves, she picked up her dagger and returned it to its sheath, hanging upside-down upon her breast. Ravenfeeder followed, and she turned to face Tadrose when she was finished.

"We did good, didn't we?" she breathed.

"Aye, we did. It looks like Grantham will rest easy now." The dark elf's eyes were aglow in Teresa's night eye lit world. "We were lucky though. I thought Kalthar would be just a necromancer, or perhaps have turned himself into a wraith like the others. I had no idea we would be facing a lich. He must not have been one for very long. He did not know how to use his powers to their fullest. Nor did he appear to have learned to exert his control over his minions. Otherwise we would have faced an organized defense."

"You're saying that was a runt?" Teresa stared at the necromancer's decomposing corpse. His flesh had not been dead for even a full day, yet it looked more decayed then a week-old corpse left out in the sun. Had the same magic that had given him his powers, done that to his body as well? "We barely made it through."

"This was easy," Tadrose said. She walked to Teresa with the necromancer's helmet clutched in one hand, and his amulet in the other. "The last time I faced a lich, it took our entire chapter to defeat him, with assistance from the Mages Guild. But I have never heard of anyone turning into a lich so quickly. Overnight if Grantham was right."

"It must be that helm that made him that way." Teresa nodded to the skull-shaped helmet. "I saw Grantham was released as soon you took it from that fetcher's head."

"Well, whatever it is, we had best get rid of this cursed thing as soon as we can," Tadrose said, gesturing with the helmet in hand. "It makes me feel sick just to touch it. Henantier might know what to make of it."

Teresa took the curious helm from the other woman, and instantly understood what Tadrose meant. Her stomach churned, as if it was filled with squirming maggots. The thought made her want to retch, and she had to clamp her teeth together in a hard line to ensure that she did not. She could not tuck it into her Thieves Bag quickly enough, and instantly felt relieved when her bare skin no longer touched the vile artifact.

She took the lich's necklace from Tadrose next. She instantly felt the pulse of magicka within it, deep and strong. Unlike the helmet, it felt clean and pure. In fact, simply touching it made Teresa think of deep green forests and crystal clear waterfalls. Turning the stone over in her fingers, she realized it was wood when she saw the distinctive grain of color that flowed across its surface. Yet it was hard as stone, as if it had somehow petrified. This too Teresa tucked into her bag, wondering what enchantment it might possess? It seemed to be one that brought peace and serenity. Such an odd thing to find alongside the plainly cursed headgear.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Dec 16 2011, 01:55 AM

[liliandra nadiar]

Ohh... NICE!

Great job with the fight. Poor Teresa, all her expensive summons barely last more then two actions before someone dispels them.

Do I see a trip to Layawiin for a stringy wood elf soon? That amulet sounds like it would be Dagal's.

[ghastley]

Ooh you've tangled a lot of stories together here! Not just mixing Kalthar into the Grantham Blakeley story, but the Bloodworm Helm too. And is that Dagail's original amulet that he stole? So no trip to Fort Blueblood required unless he's "broken" it.

Nit: and she had to clamp her teeth together in a hard line {to} insure that she did not - lost a word here, and shouldn't it be "ensure"? Common usage makes the latter debatable, but that's my preference when I can't avoid the word.

[Grits]

Oh neat, Tadrose can recharge their weapons! I enjoyed the description of how she did it as well as her explanation.

Kalthar, gross. His rotting depiction here reflects my opinion of the game’s Kalthar.

What an exciting fight, with dazzling teamwork from the elves and friendly ghost. The salamander is my favorite TF Aedra, even if it only got to stick around for a few seconds this time.

I wonder where their magical finds will take them after Henantier gets a look.

[Acadian]

An edge-of-the-seat tense fight indeed, loaded with creative magic.

"Get your fetching hands off her!"
Yay! Tadrose to the rescue!

"We did good, didn't we?" she breathed.’
We surely did, Teresa!

"You're saying that was a runt?"
By the Nine! Not what she wants to hear!

’Unlike the helmet, it felt clean and pure. In fact, simply touching it made Teresa think of deep green forests and crystal clear waterfalls. Turning the stone over in her fingers, she realized it was wood’
How wonderful to describe what I presume to be Dagail's amulet as something that would so very much belong to an old wood elf!

This post has been edited by Acadian: Dec 16 2011, 01:52 AM

[SubRosa]

I keep forgetting to mention this. I have been watching Farscape again now that I have it on blu-ray. I found the perfect person to play Tadrose in the live action TF movie. Claudia Black. Talk about it staring me in the face. All she needs in blue skin and a point to her ears, and she would be perfect. Not just in looks, but in attitude (at least the later seasons Aeryn Sun, not the first season version of her)

Claudia Black

In full Peacekeeper gear

Introspective

Adrenaline

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Dec 16 2011, 04:35 AM

[King Coin]

The crabs are probably feeding on more than just dead fish.

Good moves by Tadrose, pulling the weapon right out of the wrath’s hand!

A LICH? They are in for a hell of a fight!!

The captain! I didn’t anticipate him at all!

I can see why Bethesda didn’t opt to allow dispel to work on summons. Makes them kind of useless.

Awesome ending! Loved how the captain disappeared and the description of the two artifacts. I wonder what the amulet is?

[McBadgere]

Mmm...Claudia Black...Oh hell I had such a thing for her when she was in Stargate SG-1...*Thinks about Tadrose and Theresa*...Yes, yes indeedie...Good choice *Nods vigourously*...

Excellent chapter m'dear...Loved it muchly...Blimey I got well into that...When Grantham stood in front of them...Brilliant...

I punched the air when I read this...

Tadrose closed her eyes, and a purple glow rose from her hands. The light traveled down into the bow, seeming to drain from the elf like water. Tadrose stood there channeling her energy into Ravenfeeder for long moments. Then finally the light died from her hands, and she opened her eyes.

Yes!!!...Did it again...I love that bit...Messing about with magicks...Love it...

Oh, and that Salamander scroll...Brilliant...

Right, that's breakfast excited too!!...Any other mealtimes you want to sort for me?... ...

[Olen]

Quite the battle, and against a tough enemy. I like how they are well balanced and that the tougher enemies are a match for them and are rare. They won't go charging in some places because they will lose - that makes the world all the more real and, when they do accidentally go in over their heads, the story very exciting.

Your description of the enhanced rate of decay for the lich worked very well. That he couldn't speak makes me wonder how much of the original mage remains, do they become something different than they were or is it just rotting vocal chords?

I too like the way you have woven many quests together here. The bloodworm helm is the perfect (and convincingly forceful) opener for a reanimated necromancer arc and mixing it with a fairly run of the mill side quest and the Leyawin go-fetch makes them new and interesting. I find such quests sometimes seem to bend the story to them, but here they just slot in.

Now I want to know what a certain altmer will make of that creepy headgear.

EDIT: Agreed on Claudia Black. There's another good example of a strong female character, the attitude is there too. Out of interest who else do you have people in mind for?

This post has been edited by Olen: Dec 16 2011, 05:08 PM

[Captain Hammer]

Kalthar. Man I hate that guy.

Okay, you've officially blown me out of the water. Hopefully I recover better than the ship.

You take two quests, throw them into the blender, then carefully measure and add ingredients to reveal something completely new and exciting.

You handle your characters with a skill akin to Tadrose's swordsmanship. You reveal things about them without forcing it.

And you kick some major Necro-butt. I just hope those mages don't lose track of their stuff again, after T&T went through all that trouble to deal with the new lich.

[SubRosa]

liliandra nadiar: I am glad the amulet makes so many people think of Dagail. Because as we will see this next episode, you are all correct! Although it turns out a trip to Leyawiin will not be needed...


ghastley: I needed a reason for the crew of the ship to have turned into wraiths. Plugging in a necromancer made that work. Since I knew it was a ship outbound from Leyawiin, I realized that Kalthar would fit the bill nicely. The bloodworm helm was another case of needing a reason for how Kalthar got so powerful so quickly.


Grits: Tadrose's recharging was something that came to me as I was writing the first draft. Given that she had training in magic when she was younger, and is now an armorer, it made sense to me that she would learn to recharge weapons.

I think the salamander is probably my favorite Aedra summons too. Just on pure coolness factor if nothing else. Hopefully in the future Teresa will be not be fighting such powerful enemies all the time, and so will be able to keep her summons around for longer.

Oh, and have fun with Farscape!


Acadian: That was a fun fight scene to write, it all came out of my keyboard as quickly as it reads (well almost as quickly). It was just one thing leading to the next, leading to the next, etc... I also finally got to show off what Tadrose can really do. Aside from driving wood elves crazy that is.


King Coin: That disarming move of Tadrose's is a RL longswording move. I used it before in the fight between Volsinius and the necromancer's skeleton in Unfriendly Competition. But Vols was quick enough to let go of the tip of his sword before his blade could be stripped from his hands. I try to use RL longswording wherever possible these days. Both the stances we saw Tadrose use earlier - The Ox and The Fool - are also from RL, down to the names.

The dispels being as strong as they are help balance out how overpowering mages become, especially conjuration mages. You also have to keep in mind that Teresa has been fighting top tier opponents of late. First Ra'jhera, and now a lich. So they are going to have ways to counter what she can throw out, just as Teresa can counter them (like how she un-paralyzed Tadrose). Against enemies like the trolls outside of the city, or the smugglers from Bawn, summons are still quite powerful.


McBadgere: If you have only seen Claudia in Fargate, you have not seen anything yet. Vala was mostly a comic relief role, with just a few serious parts toward the end. Check out Farscape, she has a much more intense role as Aeryn Sun there. All full of angst and pent up emotion. Which is one reason why Claudia works so well for Tadrose. There are still some funny episodes, where you get the see where she got her portrayal of Vala from. But mostly it is very serious and intense.


Olen: Yep, Tadrose would not have taken Teresa in there if she had known they were facing a lich. As it turns out, it was a very close thing. I am also glad the super-decayed Kalthar worked. I wanted to really get across the creep factor of a lich, and show that it is not your run-of-the-mill undead. But rather something beyond the pale of even other undead.

You know what, I never even realized that Kalthar never says anything. When I wrote that scene, nothing ever came to me for him to say. It all just flowed so fast and intensely, that he never had time to monologue. Perhaps I might say that it was indeed because he had not yet learned to speak in his new form? In the game liches just make really creepy noises. But I think they would have to be able to talk.

There are several actors who have jumped off the screen and said "I should be in the TF movie". There is Jared Leto as Valerius. [url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/kristenstewart04.jpg]Kristen Stewart[/url] is my frontrunner for Teresa. She was in a little movie called Speak where she was just fantastic, and never cracked more than a faint smile. She was also outstanding as Joan Jett in The Runaways These days I am thinking Felicia Day as Teresa, just with some skin whitening. Charles Ingram would play Chance. Ray Stevenson is Volsinius. And of course Robert Conrad is Pappy (although granted he will require a time machine to go back to the 70s).


Captain Hammer: This whole little interruption with the shipwreck and undead was meant to do just what you said: reveal more about Teresa and Tadrose. We have had plenty of time to watch them get to know one another in quiet little moments. Now it was time for them to bond in a life or death situation. Which will lead us to another revealment in the aftermath...

The Mages losing track of their stuff is what the Aela Fic will be all about, if I ever get to it!


Previously on Teresa of the Faint Smile: In our last episode, T&T found that Kalthar had turned into a lich. Apparently he had done this by using a mysterious helmet that made Teresa feel ill just from touching it. Kalthar was killed after a fierce battle, and Grantham Blakely was then able to go on to the afterlife. Next we find the two women in the hold of the ship, just moments after the battle ended.


Chapter 41.10 – Nothing is Trivial

"Let us be gone from this place Teresa," Tadrose slipped one arm around the wood elf's waist and led her from the forward hold. Teresa was keenly aware of the nearness of the other woman's body. The smell of her sweat filled her nostrils, competing with the odor of the mineral oil that protected her armor, and remnants of her primrose perfume.

Her heart doubled its pace, and Teresa licked her suddenly dry lips. Goddess, it felt so good to be alive. Especially when Tadrose was holding her. She wanted to leap up and cheer. Or better yet, to reach out and take the dark elf in her arms, and kiss her. Try as she might, she could not banish that thought from her mind, and felt her pale skin flush with excitement.

They paused at the stair leading to the upper deck. Tadrose turned to look at Teresa, her hand still firmly planted on the small of the forester's back. Teresa could not stop herself from moving forward, pressing her body against Tadrose's. The dark elf pulled her even closer, and reached up with her other hand. Pulling the night eye goggles from Teresa's face, Tadrose let them fall carelessly to the floor at their feet. Then her fingers wended their way through the crimson locks of Teresa's hair.

Teresa's arms found their way across Tadrose's back and held her tightly. She leaned her head forward, and closed her eyes as Tadrose did the same. She felt the other woman's lips press firmly into her own. They were soft as the finest Akaviri silk, and filled Teresa's blood with rapture.

She did not know how long they stood there kissing. It might have been hours for all Teresa knew. She did not care. All she knew was the ecstasy of the dark elf's touch, of her lips, and her tongue against her own. Each kiss brought another, more passionate one, until Teresa found herself nearly clawing at the other woman for more. Tadrose lifted her effortlessly in her arms, and Teresa's legs wrapped themselves around her waist. She felt herself carried across the room, and laid down upon the top of a flat crate.

Tadrose leaned over her, and Teresa struggled to undo the strap of her helmet. Once she had fought the annoying piece of armor free, she gloried in the feeling of the Dunmer's jet-black hair cascading down over her. She reached up to stroke her fingers through it, and Tadrose returned the favor by pulling off the wood elf's gauntlets.

The Dunmer leaned down and began kissing Teresa once more. Not on the lips this time, but instead along the base of her neck, then up to the lobe of one of the wood elf's ears. Teresa could not contain a loud cry of delight as the dark elf's tongue danced across her skin, and ground her hips against Tadrose's body. She ran her hands over the Dunmer's frame, cursing the armor that kept them from the other woman's soft skin.

"Ahem." The sound of a female voice loudly clearing her throat cut through Teresa's ecstasy like a Daedric blade.

Teresa looked up to see an armored leg on the stair nearby. The wood creaked loud as thunder as the figure stepped away, back onto the deck above and out of sight. Tadrose pulled back. Her face was flushed with passion, her hair was disheveled, and her skin dripped with sweat. She was simply more beautiful than anything else in the world.

"Oh my," Tadrose sighed, following Teresa's gaze back to the hatchway.

Teresa stifled the urge to giggle, and knew that she was already grinning like a fool. She sat up, breathing heavily, and let her fingers fall across Tadrose's armored frame. Even though she knew they had been caught in the act, all she could think of was how the dark elf's body would feel, naked against her own.

Tadrose, however, was more composed. She reached for her helmet - and after brushing back her hair with one hand, lowered it around her features. She did not look at Teresa, or say a word. But the wood elf could see that her dusky features were flushed with deep color. Teresa imagined that she must have been embarrassed. The wood elf imagined that she would have been herself, if she had not been so filled with bliss.

Tadrose walked to the stairway, and paused there. She turned to look at Teresa, and waited as the wood elf gathered herself up. After taking a moment to smooth back her crimson tresses into something vaguely approximating order, the Bosmer took up her gauntlets and goggles and followed the other woman. They were on deck a moment later, and the forester squinted her eyes against the sudden brightness.

Standing on the deck before them was a familiar-looking wood elf. Her long hair was the color of cornsilk, and shimmered in the late morning sun. She was clad from head to toe in black. Slender leather boots rose to similar greaves, with armor plates rising from the knees. Her torso was sheathed in an ebony cuirass decorated with gold filigree, and jet black mail rings gleamed beneath its individual plates. A Valenwood bow like Teresa's own was tucked into the gorytos at her hip, and a bag similar to Teresa's own rode at the other.

Screenshot

"Well met Fighters Guild," the wood elf said in a quiet voice. "I take it that the ship is clear of undead?"

"Yes," Tadrose said. Her voice sounded different than normal. It lacked the confidence and authority that normally resonated in her every word, no matter how soft. She was definitely embarrassed, Teresa thought. Now that her heart began to slow its own pace, Teresa felt the flush of passion across her skin being replaced by one of self-consciousness. Oh goddess, what must this other woman think of them?

"My apologies for my ill-timed arrival," the wood elf said delicately. "I am Buffy, Knight of the White Stallion. I am here on an errand for the County of Leyawiin."

It was Dame Buffy! Now Teresa knew why she looked so familiar. It was Daenlin's apprentice, the knight of Leyawiin. She had taken second place in the tournament so recently, placing just a single point behind the champion: Alawen, the ranger of Anvil. Oh Dibella, what had she and Tadrose done, and so foolishly at that?

Yet the other wood elf seemed not to notice the discomfort of Teresa and Tadrose. Instead she went on as if she had not just walked in on them furiously making love. If Teresa had not known better, she would think they were all standing around chatting at one of Lady Scaurus' balls.

"It's good to see you again Tadrose," she said smoothly. Then her sea blue eyes fixed upon the forester. "And you must be Teresa. My old master Daenlin has told me much about you."

Teresa buried her head in shame. Doubtlessly he had told her what a hypocrite she was, what a failure she was at being an archer, and an elf.

"All of it good of course," the other woman went on, somewhat hastily. "He says you have deep convictions about the forest, of a kind he cannot even muster himself. Knowing my old master, that must make you quite an elf indeed."

Teresa muttered something in reply that even she could not comprehend herself. All she wanted to do was curl up into a little ball and disappear. In fact, she seriously considered reaching for an invisibility potion to hasten that image.

"So what brings you here dame knight?" Tadrose asked, and Teresa was thankful when the wood elf turned her gaze to the taller armorer.

"I am hunting a renegade mage named Kalthar," Buffy explained. "He murdered a member of the Mages Guild in Leyawiin, and stole several objects of great power from there. He fled on this very ship."

"Aye, we found him below," Tadrose said, looking somewhat relieved. Teresa had to admit that the more the conversation turned away from their personal lives, the better she felt as well. "He wore a mages robe, but he was no mage. Not anymore. He was a necromancer. He turned himself into a lich, and the crew into wraiths."

"Troll dung!" Buffy spat on the deck. "It's worse than I feared." Then her gaze shot back to Tadrose. "The fetcher is dead though, you are certain of it?"

"Aye, we left him in pieces my lady. Go below and see." Teresa amazed herself by speaking. Then she reached into her Thieves Bag, and drew forth the curious helmet. Again, her hand froze from the touch, and she was relieved when the other woman took it from her grasp. "He was wearing this."

"The Bloodworm Helm!" the knight of Leyawiin hissed. Teresa saw her flinch when she touched the helmet. That gave the forester a curious sense of relief. Perhaps because it showed that the knight was just as revolted by the dark magic as she was herself. As Teresa had done before, Buffy quickly stowed the cursed object away into the bag at her hip. "This is one of the items he stole. It is a powerful necromantic artifact. The Mages Guild has been holding it under lock and key for many years now, to keep it from the wrong hands."

"Well good riddance to it," Teresa found herself saying. "You should just destroy it. It will leave the world better place."

"If we could, we would," Buffy sighed. "But this is beyond the workings of any mortal magician. It is reputed to have been created by the Dead Lord Mannimarco himself. Some even say it has a part of his essence bound within it."

"We also found a necklace," Tadrose said, and nodded to Teresa.

"Aye," the wood elf said, and drew forth the amulet of petrified wood. "This is simply lovely. I have no idea why a creature like Kalthar had it on him."

"Manduin's Amulet," Buffy gasped. Her blue eyes glowed with happiness. "I could practically hug you both! That was stolen from the leader of the Leyawiin guild. It is an heirloom of her family, and means a great deal to her."

"Please return it with our compliments," Tadrose said with a smile.

"That I will," Buffy took the amulet from Teresa. Her fingers briefly brushed against Teresa's as she did so. Teresa felt the familiar calluses formed from years of shooting a bow. Yet her hand was warm and comforting nonetheless. She smiled shyly at Teresa, and the next thing the forester knew, the knight did indeed wrap her arms around her in a warm embrace. Teresa did not know what to do, so simply folded her arms around the shorter woman and breathed in her scent of bergamot and rosemary.

"You have done Dagail and I such a good turn Tree-Singer," she breathed. She broke free, and looked to Tadrose next. "And you as well Tadrose. I don't know how to thank you both."

"It is all in a day's work for us my lady," Tadrose said. Teresa did note that hint of a blush gracing the dark elf's cheeks. She doubted that the armorer was any more accustomed to seeing knights hug mercenaries than Teresa was to be on the receiving end of it! Not that she minded it in the least. "Our rules of engagement clearly state that we must take action when citizens are in peril, or the local authorities require assistance."

"Aye," Buffy agreed. "But this was no mere bandit captain and his thugs. Not many would have had the courage to face a lich, as you two did. Let alone the wherewithal to gain victory."

She reached back into that bag at her hip, which Teresa was now certain was bag of holding like her own Thieves Bag. From it she produced a wanted poster with the face of what Teresa imagined had been Kalthar in life.

"By Mara, that guar was ugly even before turning into a lich!" Tadrose remarked.

"The least I can do is see to it that you two receive the reward for his capture," Buffy said. "The Mages Guild placed a bounty on him, as did the County of Leyawiin. Both of them should see you well compensated. I can write you an affidavit that you can present to the Bravil Guard for the reward. Or if you would like, I can handle that back in Leyawiin myself, and have the money transferred to an account at the Temple of Zenithar."

"Umm, the temple would be fine," Tadrose murmured.

Teresa stared down at the deck plating under their feet. "The captain said he had a wife, and sons. What was her name, Aodrena? Aodrena Blakely. I think they lived in Leyawiin. Could you see that she receives my share?"

"Aye," Tadrose nodded, stepping up beside Teresa. "Mine as well. Grantham was a good man. He saved my life down there. His family deserve more than just a condolence note from the shipping company he worked for."

"I don't know what to say," the knight breathed. "Except that I will not forget what you have done today. Or that you are my friends. Whenever you have need of it, you shall have my bow. And my discretion of course."

Teresa found herself looking at Tadrose, and saw the other elf was looking back at her. Teresa was gratified that at least she was not the only one blushing.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: May 10 2013, 03:00 AM

[liliandra nadiar]

Hmm.. Yay crossover element, but boo on her timing.

After-battle rush is a nice thing, shame I'm willing to put septiums on Tadrose thinking she was taking advantage of Teresa and trying to avoid a repeat. Which will leave Teresa thinking she wasn't good enough for Tadrose... Oy. >.<

[McBadgere]

...AAaaaaaHHHHhhhh!!!...

Damndamndamndamndamndamn...

*Sigh*...

Loved it...

Nice one... ...

...AAaaaaaHHHHH!!!!...


Mega Edit...I'm leaving that ^^ because it makes me laugh... ...

But I'd just like to say how brilliantly well written that all was...

Hot?...Blimey...*Loosens collar*... ...

Oh, yeah, right...I did work out what that amulet probably was the other day...I just forgot to post it!...

*Applauds*...

Love the cross-over too...

Nice one... ...

Well done...

This post has been edited by McBadgere: Dec 20 2011, 07:02 AM

[Acadian]

So there was Teresa beginning to loudly sing the song a Bosmer makes when getting her ears kissed and – Boom! – in stumbles Buffy! Bad timing is right! Oh well, at least the microknight was able to take that disgusting helm and Dagail’s precious amulet off their hands and save T&T a trip to Leyawiin.

You did a beautiful job here of capturing the complexity of all three women, while staying firmly in Teresa’s perspective. Poor self-conscious Teresa; if only she could see herself through the eyes of others. How like Buffy to give the sister wood elf a hug and claim her as friend! And how like Teresa and Tadrose to insist their reward go to Grantham’s widow.

A lovely episode!

[Grits]

Oh my gosh, Buffy! What a pleasant surprise. If anyone else had interrupted T&T’s frantic session, we might be shouting for their blood.

"You have done Dagail and I such a good turn Tree-Singer," she breathed. She broke free, and looked to Tadrose next. "And you as well Tadrose. I don't know how to thank you both."

How lovely that Buffy called her sister wood elf “Tree-Singer.” I really loved seeing the three elf women together. Each one of them shone in her own way. As Acadian said, the hug and disposition of reward money was so like each of them.

Also great to have the helm and amulet off their hands. They already have some unfinished business to attend to.

[mALX]

Teresa and Tadrose finally make a connection and get interrupted! By BUFFY !!! Now that was a wonderful surprise ending to an already great chapter !! Awesome Write !!! (as always!)